Exciting Zach Frazier Prediction Could Be Horrific News For The Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been building a good foundation for the future by drafting well over the last several seasons. This has been the case pretty much since current General Manager Omar Khan took over. His first draft was in 2023, and he may have missed on his first round pick, but two players have already been extended from that class and two more are looking for deals. There is a chance that up to five players from the 2023 draft class for Pittsburgh get extended, and the franchise had another superb draft class in 2024, particularly along the offensive line.

In 2024 the Steelers were able to draft Troy Fautanu in the first round, Zach Frazier in the second round, and Mason McCormick in the fourth round. Those are three above-average starters on the offensive line, and all three will be eligible for extensions after the 2026 season. A lot of fans felt as though Frazier was the most exciting pick at the time. He was close to Pittsburgh, and he seemed like a surefire selection. He has been the starting center since day one, and he has only gotten better as his career has gone on.

Frazier does not have major accolades through his first two seasons in the league, but those will start to come in. Robert Mays of The Athletic recently joined Bill Barnwell on The Bill Barnwell Show, and the two spoke about players with the best chance of being a first-time All-Pro in 2026. Frazier was mentioned by Mays.

"He is an ascending player," Mays said. "I think the Steelers' offensive line has a chance to be a really good unit this year, especially if those rookies can come along at a reasonable clip. This stuff is so narrative-driven at times. If you get to a place where we're having a lot of conversations about the Steelers' offensive line and there gets to be this drumbeat of, 'Zach Frazier really makes that group go,' I think you can see a path for him to be a real talking point. I also think that position specifically right now is very thin. I think that leaves a little bit of a window for a guy like Zach Frazier."

Mays' main point is that the entire offensive line is going to have to be good for Pittsburgh in order for Frazier to really get some steam going for an All-Pro nod, and there is a chance that can happen. There is some reshuffling happening on the offensive line currently, but that could be for the best as guys like Fautanu and McCormick are moving back to their natural positions.

An All-Pro nod would be great for Frazier, and it certainly would excite the fan base, but it would also drive his price up. He is more than likely going to be extended during the 2027 offseason, and his performance during the 2026 season is going to be pivotal when it comes to those negotiations. An All-Pro nod paired with a Pro Bowl would be the ideal scenario for Frazier.

Steelers Will Have To Figure Out The Center Market

The center market in the NFL is odd, and that is in large part due to the Las Vegas Raiders. They signed Tyler Linderbaum to a three-year, $81 million deal during free agency in 2026. This pays him an average of $27 million per year, which is $8 million more than the next highest-paid center. It seems like teams have been treating this deal as an outlier so far, as Aaron Brewer and the Miami Dolphins just agreed on a three-year, $52.5 million deal that made him the league's third highest-paid center after being named an All-Pro in 2025.

Creed Humphrey is currently the league's second highest-paid center, and he is due an extension. If he signs for more than Linderbaum, or close to it, that could be the same neighborhood Frazier will be in with a possible All-Pro selection in 2026.

What do you think of Frazier's chances to be an All-Pro this season? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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